NightLink: What’s Up With The Rest Of The NFC North?

by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jul 29, 2009 5:00 PM CDT

GREEN BAY PACKERS

The Packers have a number of players they're counting on to have a bounce back season in 2009, a few coming off injuries. Here's a look at six possible thorns in the Bears sides.

NFL.com had a look at Packer QB Aaron Rodgers from Brian Baldinger and Jamie Dukes. Maybe that Jamie Dukes does know a little something about football... nah...

The Packers might have a new weapon on the offense. Their rookie FB is turning heads. Hopefully Brian Urlacher will put in extra work on shedding the lead blocker.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Yahoo Sports has a fun piece about how Head Coach Brad Childress has to deal with the situation with his QB's. Good luck Brad!

Now that the flirtation with Brett Favre has ended (for now) I wonder how long til some Michael Vick rumors circulate. Oh, that long.

At least the Vikings aren't on the Anti-Vick List yet. So there's still a chance! Personally I hope the Vick stuff hangs over the Vikings like a stale smelly fog. Any more reason to alienate current Viking QB's Sage Rosenfels and Tarvaris Jackson is OK with me.

If you have any Detroit Lion cornerns then hit the jump...

DETROIT LIONS

Anyone think the Lions have a shot at anything this year? The Detroit Free Press has their projected starters listed here. Some highlights; Daunte Culpepper at QB over rookie #1 pick Matthew Stafford. As a Bears fan, I'd rather see the rookie thrown to the wolves... er, um, Bears for their week 4 trip to Soldier Field. The veteran Culpepper will give them a better chance at a few upsets. Rookie TE Brandon Pettigrew and rookie FS Louis Delmas look to be starting day 1 as well.

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Comments

Not to mention

that some people seem to be forgetting that most of the #1 picks have yet to sign….I even havent heard of any progress on minnys (harvin) and gb (matthews/raji) picks…..

"There is no such thing as good or evil....Only power and those to weak to seek it....."

- Jerry Angelo

by CloudyFuture on Jul 29, 2009 5:43 PM CDT reply actions

I hope there is a lengthy hold out!

The Bears have all their picks locked up!

by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Jul 29, 2009 11:57 PM CDT up reply actions

We just signed Matthews Jr. today, and it’s expected that Raji will sign soon as well.

by packallday555 on Jul 31, 2009 9:05 PM CDT up reply actions

Anyone think the Lions have a shot at anything this year?

Didn’t one of their players publicly state that they were playoff-bound this year?

"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt." - Bertrand Russell

by Spongie on Jul 29, 2009 6:04 PM CDT reply actions

That would have been their RB, Kevin Smith.

Linky.

- Smudgers

"Newbie, if the next two words out of your mouth aren't 'See ya' then the third word will be 'Oh my god. My crotch. You've punched me in my crotch." - Dr. Percival Ulysses Cox

by David Taylor on Jul 29, 2009 7:41 PM CDT up reply actions 5 recs

wreck

Love Silent Bob.

I'm teaching fools some basic rules.- MR.T

by Ditkavsworld on Jul 29, 2009 8:34 PM CDT up reply actions

Now if the other K. Smith could be as silent as this one.

- Smudgers

"Newbie, if the next two words out of your mouth aren't 'See ya' then the third word will be 'Oh my god. My crotch. You've punched me in my crotch." - Dr. Percival Ulysses Cox

by David Taylor on Jul 29, 2009 8:52 PM CDT up reply actions

very true.

I'm teaching fools some basic rules.- MR.T

by Ditkavsworld on Jul 29, 2009 9:36 PM CDT up reply actions

if stafford ever develops

kevin smith is going to turn into a very solid nfl back. i’m a little bit of a homer since i watched him quite a bit at UCF. i was upset that he went to the lions and the bears didn’t get him, but forte helped me get over that pretty quickly.

by genetic on Jul 30, 2009 8:03 AM CDT up reply actions

i hope your right. I also have high hopes for Delmas

Maybe, just once, someone will call me "sir" without adding, "you're making a scene."

by HireMattMillen on Jul 31, 2009 12:35 AM CDT up reply actions

Not football-related...

…but the first time I saw Jay and Silent Bob was in “Chasing Amy” and, in that, Silent Bob did all the talking. That was v. confusing.

"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt." - Bertrand Russell

by Spongie on Jul 31, 2009 5:39 AM CDT up reply actions

I think

the Lions have a shot at not sucking this year. No real rhyme or reason to this feeling other than hoping to watch a somewhat competitive Turkey Day game this year

by reefermadness3 on Jul 29, 2009 7:42 PM CDT reply actions

But The Lions Have Fmr Ball State

Center Dan Gerberry!! He was an undrafted free agent, that should be good for at least 1 win right? (I decided that my token Ball State fan should carry over to more than just Nate Davis)

by Sam Householder on Jul 29, 2009 7:43 PM CDT reply actions

Woot Woot!

Or should I say: Chirp Chirp! :D

"A lot of fans were drawn to me because they knew that whatever the score was, I was going to run as hard as I could on every play. You don't have that now, you have guys waiting for next week or even next year." - Walter Payton

by Ashley Czuba on Jul 29, 2009 8:00 PM CDT up reply actions

Who Cares

The Bears have it locked up.

by Big Ike on Jul 29, 2009 10:38 PM CDT reply actions

chances

i think the lions might sneak a few wins with daunte under centre. i dont think the big guy is done just yet, and if stafford does sign and manage to get a few reps, it will be good for any opposition.

by stepeo on Jul 30, 2009 12:04 AM CDT reply actions

and i think that is why daunte will start

they don’t want their golden boy draft pick getting thrust into a bad situation like the 17 game losing streak they have, i think there first objective is to get a win and put tis losing streak behind them and then worry about when to start Stafford

by SamuraiMike50 on Jul 30, 2009 9:36 AM CDT up reply actions

Lions

could be scary, the way a cornered animal is scary. They really have nowhere to go but up.

I do think they could surprise a few teams. Hell, looking back to last year, they were in games right up to the 4th quarter more often than not…that includes against the Hypequeens. (but not including T-giving day…ugh).

I just never want to underestimate the Kitties. They could surprise us. Plus, after some of the recent turnarounds we’ve seen in the league (ATL and Miami last year to name two), you just never know.

Not saying they’ll win the Super Bowl or anything…but 5-8 wins isn’t TOTALLY unthinkable, is it?

Unlikely, yes.
But not impossible.

by Amishbear on Jul 30, 2009 10:47 AM CDT reply actions

I hear you

i think possibly, that the lions could easily pull off 4 wins. qb potential that we wont know til game day, upgrades in good places. underestimating them would be the worst thing the Bears could do. every team in our division is dangerous.

Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.

by BearNecessities on Jul 30, 2009 11:52 AM CDT up reply actions

The Lions have 8-win potential.

Highly likely? Not at all, but it would certainly be enjoyable to see the standings look something like

1. CHI 12 – 4
2. DET 8 – 8
3. MIN 7 – 9
4. GB 5 – 11

Of course, I doubt it’ll look anything like that (I have it as GB, CHI, MIN, DET myself), but if the 1999 Rams and 2008 Dolphins taught us anything, it’s that anyone who is not coached by Dick Jauron can be competitive.

Is Clint Hurdle fired yet? YES
Is John Paxson fired yet?
Is Ralph Friedgen fired yet?
Is Vinny Del Negro fired yet?
Is Dan O' Dowd fired yet?
Is Jerry Angelo fired yet?

by ES46NE10 on Jul 30, 2009 3:49 PM CDT reply actions

More Prepared, Better Coached, More Talent

The teams that take the Lions lightly will be suprised this year. Kevin Smith is a average tailback, Daute Culpepper in shape is a good quarterback, Calvin Johnson is a monster as a wideout and this year he actually has a sidekick on the opposite side and a tight end to worry about Bryant Johnson and Brandon Pettigrew. The defense now has three starting probowlers Larry Foote, Julian Petterson and Ernie Sims. This team will suprise in the weakest division in the NFL with 9 wins and make the playoffs as a wildcard. Jim Schwartz is a great coach and this will not look like a team with a rookie coach.

by Marcmargolis on Aug 1, 2009 1:03 PM CDT reply actions